Sunday, October 16, 2016

Ep 35 - Song 3: "Vampire Club Pt II" by Lipstick Homicide

"Where has Lipstick Homicide been all my life? Vocalist/bassist Rachel Feldmann’s voice is like an angelic rainbow made of marshmallows sprinkled with pixie dust. As for the rest of the band, Kate Kane (guitars/vocals) and Luke Ferguson (drums) they hold everything tightly in place and have great chemistry. I’m a huge fan of pop punk, but it’s really hard to find good female fronted pop punk and Lipstick Homicide are the cat’s meow! This is up there with Kentucky’s Shark Week and NYC’s The Homewreckers both of whom I hold as top contenders in female fronted pop punk."
- from a review by Chuck Livid on TuffGnarl.com

"It’s hard for me not to think of Lipstick Homicide as kids; they’re contemporaries of my children. I first heard them when they were barely old enough to drive, and now they’re all grown up, actual 20-somethings. Throughout that time they’ve been remarkably consistent—they play melodic punk rock. Punk is by definition a pretty static genre: You’ve got loud guitars, loud drums and loud singing—it’s not like a band would improve punk rock by incorporating free jazz or bhangra—deviate too far from the format laid down by the Ramones and you’re no longer punk.

"Lipstick Homicide has remained pure. What has changed since their first recorded works six or seven years ago is the increased sophistication of their song writing. They still hew pretty close to the holy trinity of bar chords, but every song finds new ways to jump nimbly around them, occasionally approaching the sly intricacy of Alex Chilton. Songs like “I Don’t Want To Be Here Any More” seems much longer than its minute and 43 seconds, because they pack so much harmonic variety into it. It’s no surprise that Green Day’s Billy Armstrong is a fan—they’re half his age and already beating him at his own game.

"And then there’s that sound, ably captured by Luke Tweedy at Flat Black. I don’t know if it’s the guitars, the amplifiers or the attitude, but Lipstick Homicide has a distinctive roar that just feels good on the ears. Luke Ferguson’s frantic, chaotic drumming perfectly compliments the sustained riffing. Rachel Feldmann’s voice is remarkable for what she doesn’t do—no yelps, screams, growls, just a unaffected vocal tone that still cuts through the sonic mayhem around it. Out Utero is pure, sensual, loud, unsubtle, exciting music that proves both punk’s staying power, and Lipstick Homicide’s authoritative mastery of the form."
- from a review by Kent Williams on the Little Village website

"Hair is flying everywhere over what I thought were two high school girls. A young guy behind them making faces that would look like extreme pain if he wasn’t smiling.

"Despite the hair all over her face, the blonde is shredding wildly on her guitar, adding nice high harmonies that play well with the lead singer’s deeper voice. Short, exciting solos sporadically shooting out of those blinding fast hands!

"Catchy, thumping basslines come from an instrument that almost looks too big for the short brunette. With a sometimes painful expression, she sings using a ferocity and energy that shouldn’t come from someone that small.

"Meanwhile behind them, the thin young guy is pounding out a strong punk beat, despite the fact that his goofy smiles are the only thing letting you know he’s not having an epileptic fit.

"This was my first impression of Lipstick Homicide two or three years ago at The Space’s anniversary show in Ames. It was a short 20 minute set, but I was blown away and hooked! I found out I could fall in love with a lesbian couple and straight guy!"
- from an article by Dan Wren on The Des Moines Music Coalition (DMMC) website